After a lengthy negotiation, the Jaguars retained starting free safety Dwight Lowery. The two sides agreed to a four-year deal late Tuesday night.

“I would really like to thank [general manager] Gene Smith and Tim [Walsh] for their hard work and their commitment to me as a player,” Lowery said by phone from California. “Also, to the coaching staff. I know that Mel [Tucker, defensive coordinator] and I have a pretty good relationship. I’m sure he played a part in everything that’s been going on. Teammates, they — when I was in New York I didn’t really connect with my teammates the way I did in Jacksonville. There were a lot of factors going on. … It was done right.”

Lowery was one of three players the Jaguars retained on Tuesday, the first day of free agency. He became an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. and his agent did speak with other teams during the negotiation process.

Before the market opened at 4 p.m., the Jaguars re-signed punter Nick Harris. The Jaguars also re-signed backup linebacker Russell Allen to a three-year deal worth $6 million with $2.6 million in guarantees. Allen’s deal maxes out at $9 million.

The Jaguars placed a second-round tender on Allen before the multi-year deal was reached to ensure protection if another team tried to sign him. But the sides completed the multi-year deal less than an hour after the market opened.

Allen started in six games this season and played in all 16. He joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009.

Jacksonville also placed a seventh-round tender on safety Courtney Greene and a fifth-round tender on cornerback Will Middleton.

As the Jaguars prepared to bring in free agents, one of the team’s recent free agent signings said goodbye to Jacksonville. The Jaguars released special-teams ace Kassim Osgood, who was due a base salary of $2.175 million this year. Osgood’s salary cap number was $2.933 million.

“I had a high price tag for next year for not being one of their starters. That played a factor into it, I think,” Osgood said. “It’s business. When you get later in your years in the NFL, a lot of teams go younger. It’s part of the game.”

The Jaguars also told offensive tackle Kevin Haslam he would be released. Haslam first has to pass a physical today.

Jacksonville was patient on the first day of free agency, setting up visits with receiver Laurent Robinson, who scored 11 touchdowns for Dallas last season, and quarterback Chad Henne, who was a starter in Miami until a season-ending shoulder injury early last season.

Robinson, who overlapped with Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey in Atlanta, flew to Jacksonville on Tuesday evening and had a meeting scheduled as soon as free agency opened. He was Dallas’ third-leading receiver last season with 54 catches for 858 yards. Jason Witten and Dez Bryant had more yards than he did for the Cowboys.

He drew interest from the Arizona Cardinals, a team that wants him to visit after his visit with Jacksonville, but typically when a free agent takes a visit, the team tries to sign him while he’s there.

Interest in Robinson increased as various receivers went off the market. Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan signed with the Redskins. Marques Colston re-signed with the New Orleans Saints just before the market opened. With Jackson’s departure from San Diego to Tampa Bay, the Chargers also became a contender for Robinson’s interest.

The 2012 free agency period was supposed to be less frenzied than last year’s lockout-shortened free agency period.

For most teams it was not. The Redskins signed three receivers, the Buffalo Bills hunkered down on Texans defensive end Mario Williams — reportedly pledging to make him the league’s highest-paid defensive player — and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Vincent Jackson to a five-year deal worth $55 million.

The past is gone with the wind. What GS has done is relevent because he is still here. Examine the David Garrad release. This was the block that made the wall so high that we didn't get a hello from any of the premier WR's agents, they didn't answer the phone because they saw 9 0 4 ! If he signs Robinson I will go from his D+ grade in FA (because of Mincey/Lowery) to a C+, add Mario and he gets a B+.
Add Henne and the grade drops back to a C.

If GS is fired after this weekend and replaced by a Polian type, the coaches would be out of the JDR type comfort zone, as would the players. The draft hits like an Alshon Jeffries, a good TE and an OL would put us over the top. With a run first offense you saw what Prater and a good D did in Denver, they are AFC and got to the divisional round. This is a BOLD move to make, and if Mr.K had the spunk to do it, the tarps could come off sooner!

How many big name receivers would want to sign with a team with a QB that was rated last in the league?
I don't see huge improvements this year on offense, But to compete in the division we don't need huge improvements. We lost 7 games by less than ten points. We just need our passing offense to go from horrible to so-so. Our defense has be secured with the resignings of Mincy and Lowery.
Robinson would fill a need and another receiver or two from the draft would really help.